User blog:ISAAC Organization/Death on the Launch Pad
Everyone knowns about the devastating tragedies of the losses of the Space Shuttle Columbia and Challenger... ... but these weren't the only losses of life directly connected with the Space Shuttle Program. Sadly, astronauts and cosmonauts haven't been the only people who've perished in the pursuit of space exploration. There's a little known but true story from the very beginning of NASA's Space Shuttle Program, back before the Challenger and Columbia disasters. Brave and dedicated people were injured on the Launch Pad as the Shuttle Columbia sat being readied for lift-off. Tragically, some even lost their lives as a result. In the weeks before the launch of the first Space Shuttle Mission (known by us rocket geeks as STS-1), Shuttle Columbia sat on the launch pad, undergoing critical pre-launch testing. Hundreds of NASA and Rockwell technicians went about checking every inch of the Shuttle as it sat bolted in place. Many technicians were involved in the pre-flight check of the powerful shuttle engines. These magnificent engines would have to perform flawlessly if the upcoming launch was to be a success. Any tiny error in their operation might result in an on-board explosion (and we all know just how horrible rocket explosions can be). On March 19th, 1981, engine testing was about to take a deadly turn. Columbia's three powerful engines were going to be test-fired for 20 seconds as it sat bolted down to the launch pad. Shuttle engineers feared a small chance of a random on-board fire, so a precautionary step was initiated to reduce the chance of an onboard fire. To prevent a fire, inert (safe) nitrogen gas was pumped into the aft engine compartment of the shuttle. This pushed all of the oxygen out of the compartment and eliminated the chance of a fire. The aft engine compartment was a large but cramped crawlspace. It comprised a large portion of the rear of the shuttle. It wasn't large enough for people to walk around inside, but rather they had crawl around on their hands and knees inside. Movement inside this area was slow and arduous. Tasks often could be time consuming. The three powerful rocket engines were fired. Great plumes of smoke, quickly followed by streams of flame, blasted down from the bolted-down Shuttle. Systems checks, component activations, and equipment functions all showed successful. The engine systems were testing at 100% operatonal status, and it was decided (and rightly so) that the Columbia's flight engines were going to perform perfectly during launch. With no oxygen inside this area, chances of a fire are virtually eliminated. All that remained was for several technicians to re-enter the aft engine compartment, check the equipment and remove the monitoring equipment. Three technicians: John Bjornstand, Forrest Cole, and William Wolford crawled inside the engine compartment through a small access hatch. They were the ones assigned to perform the post-testing follow-up. Unbeknownst to anyone, a recent procedural change had been initiated from higher up in NASA... ... the precautionary nitrogen gas which had been pumped INTO the compartment had not yet been pumped back OUT. With nitrogen gas being invisible, odor-less, and taste-less, no one realized that there wasn't sufficient oxygen inside for anyone to breathe... ... and you can surely guess what happens to people on board a spaceship when they don't have oxygen. Perhaps ten seconds or so after crawling through the access hatch into the engine compartment, Bjornstand, Cole, and Wolford lost consciousness. They slumped to the floor, all basically side by side, a short distance from the access hatch... and nobody noticed. Hundreds of workers went about their assigned tasks nearby. Yet no one realized that their co-workers lay dying on the floor inside Columbia's cramped engine compartment. Several minutes later, a Rockwell quality inspector, Jimmy Harper, passed by the access hatch and noticed the three laying on the floor. He tried to help. In the rush to help his co-workers, he neglected to notify anyone of the crisis, and he too passed out seconds after crawling inside the shuttle compartment. As he lost consciousness his body fell out of the access hatch. Now four men, their bodies and brains starved for oxygen, slipped closer to death as every second passed. Luckily, other people nearby witnessed Harper fall. Technicians Nicholas "Nick" Mullon and Robert Tucker, and quality inspector Don Corbitt. Mullon sucked in a huge gulp of air and crawled inside the shuttle compartment to help his fallen co-workers. He inched forward, fighting the lack of oxygen. He managed to drag Wolford out to safety, then both he and Corbitt went back in to rescue another man. In the crisis, Mullon fell victim to oxygen deprivation too. Fortunately, his body slipped out of the access hatch and he landed outside on the metal walkway. Tucker saw Mullon fall and realized what was happening. He radioed for help then retrieved an emergency air pack, put it on and went in. Crawling on his hands and knees, he began a solo recovery attempt on the fallen technicians. Harper miraculously regained consciousness and staggered away in a valiant attempt to go get help. Due to Tucker's emergency call for help to the ground operations crew, a full rescue mission swung immediately into action. Three miles away at the Launch Control Center, technicians knew they had to reverse the nitrogen pump and activated the nitrogen purge systems. Working frantically they made the necessary computer entries. Dread filled them because they knew it was an automated process and it would be 90 seconds before fresh air would be pumped into the shuttle. Moments later a frantic radio call went out across the launch complex, "We need all available ambulances at the launch pad NOW!" All across the area, workers were dumbfounded. Everyone knew a very important launch test was being conducted this morning, and now they were hearing radio calls for ambulances and air packs to be brought to the launch pad. It was later reported that people in offices broke down and cried, fearing the worst. Quite simply, if you were working on the compound that morning, it must have been terrifying. Back on the launch pad, technicians were down and their condition wasn't good. In moments, crowds of workers gathered round, trying to help. These men and women bravely strived to render aid to their fallen friends and fought diligently to save them. Keep in mind, all this is happening 130 feet up in the air, on the steel girder launch gantry: with only a slow elevator to use and no true emergency equipment at hand. People scattered across the steel launch platform to retrieve emergency air packs to help get oxygen for the fallen technicians to breathe. One worker retrieved an air pack and headed for the nearest elevator, but it was already going up. He turned and sprinted to the nearest stairwell, then proceeded to RUN all the way up the entire 13 flights of stairs with the air pack, just to help. To get the fallen men up out of the compartment, Tucker and Corbitt had to carry each unconscious man up a four-foot ladder. Problem: How do you carry an unconscious person up a ladder? Tucker and Corbitt later explained, "how did we do it? We just DID. There wasn't a choice. It wasn't easy, but we knew we had to." The on-site medical facility sent out all its ambulances, but the launch pad was over three miles away, and the roads were only covered with gravel. The vehicles screamed down the gravel roads, their occupants unsure what they'd find when they got there. At speeds topping 70 miles an hour, dust and gravel flew wildly into air, the ambulances made it there in seemingly no time at all. Following emergency protocol, the guards and staff at the launch pad's security gate were holding back traffic. No one actually knew if the pad was safe to approach or not. The radio calls being heard seemed to indicate a massive accident, one that might claim more lives. Security personnel were caught in a dilemma: Should they let rescue teams inside? Was the shuttle about to explode? Should the entire area be evacuated instead? From his location at the launch pad, the security chief looked down and saw the ambulances being stopped at the gate. He stared in disbelief, but he understood why. He raced back to his radio and ordered, “do not hold anybody in emergency traffic at Pad A gate!” He got no reply over his radio. The ambulances were still being held at the gate. Frantically he radioed again, "this is Badger 15 (the call sign for the launch pad security chief). Let the ambulances come up here! Let the ambulances come up here! I need them at the top!” Yet again, no reply came. In horror and frustration, he ran to his car and drove like mad to the gate to explain what was happening. Upon getting there, he jumped out of his car and ran over to explain to everyone what was happening up on the launch pad. The sergeant of security at the gate, finally understanding the utter desperation of the situation, ordered the gates to be opened for all incoming rescue vehicles. He prayed that those long critical minutes of delay hadn't claimed lives up on the launch pad. Eventually fully equipped rescue teams arrived, but in all, it took almost 15 minutes to get the last of the fallen technicians out of the engine compartment. In total, for 22 minutes launch pad 39-A was the site of a momnumentous and tragic situation. One that was investigated in great detail. Changes were made, hopefully for the better, and perhaps, incidents like this won't occur again. Sadly, John Bjornstand was dead at the scene. Attempts to revive him were not successful, but the medical crew working on him wasn't going to give up. They worked diligently, never ceasing their efforts, even after getting him aboard the rescue helicopter. They made every heroic attempt to save him all the way to a nearby area hospital. The other four were also rushed to the nearby medical center. Forest Cole never regained consciousness and died thirteen days later, on April 1, 1981. William Wolford was still bleeding from his eyes and ears upon reaching the hospital. He was declared dead and a cadaver's toe tag was attached to his foot. But medical staff didn't accept that fate, and they finally revived him. He survived, but suffered migraines and other problems for years. Jimmy Harper also recovered from the incident. It was never reported if he suffered any lingering medical complications from his injuries, but it was reported that seemed to do well after his recovery. Nick Mullon was resuscitated and survived, but suffered a measurable amount of permanent brain damage. He was plagued with health problems and psychological disorders as a result for the remainder of his life. He is credited with saving the lives of Jimmy Harper and William Wolford. He passed away on April 11, 1995, some 14 years later, from complications directly connected of his injuries. Like an uncanny echo of the past, this was the SECOND time men fell victim to a launch pad tragedy where oxygen deprivation struck. The first, of course, was Apollo 1, that claimed the lives of Gus Grissom, Roger B. Chaffee, and Ed White. Columbia's launch proceeded as planned. The day after launch, astronauts John W. Young (Columbia's Commander)and Robert L. Crippen (Columbia's pilot) paused in their mission while on orbit, speaking of the wonders of their spacecraft. They spoke highly of the thousands of people whose hard work and dedication to the space program made this mission a perfect one. Crippen paused, then, getting a little emotional, went on to mention Bjornstad and Cole by name, saying kind words about them, “I think it is only right that we mention a couple of guys that gave their lives a few weeks ago in our countdown demonstration test: John Bjornstad and Forrest Cole. They believed in the space program, and it meant a lot to them. I am sure they would be thrilled to see where we have the vehicle now.” In the years that followed, NASA erected a beautiful memorial to those who sacrificed their lives in the exploration of space. Workers, technicians, and other non-astronauts are listed on the 'IN THE LINE OF DUTY' monument. The names Bjornstand, Cole and Mullon are there also. NOTE: Most of the information given here was gleaned from two excellent books: "Into The Black", written by Rowland White, and "In His Blood", a biography of Nick Mullon, written by Terry Burlison. I've condensed the information, trying not to plagerize either White's nor Burlison's incredible written works. If you're a fan of the Space Shuttle program, you should read these books. They wonderfully tell of the impossible task of bringing the shuttle to launch, and put you there in those times of magnificence and tragedy. Category:Blog posts